


Two gentlemen, several cups

by orphan_account



Category: Layton Kyouju vs Gyakuten Saiban | Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Genre: Phoenix Wright Kink Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-22 02:16:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2490806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When two such gentlemen face off, even mundane things can get quite interesting.</p><p> </p><p>Warning: contains some spoilers for the ending of PL vs. PW and one of the extra contents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two gentlemen, several cups

**Author's Note:**

  * For [inevitableentresol](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inevitableentresol/gifts).



> Originally written for the Phoenix Wright Kink Meme [here](http://pw-kink-meme.dreamwidth.org/1565.html?thread=3164957), with prompt asking a tea challenge between the Professor and Miles Edgeworth. Fixed and slightly rewritten for republication.

Ever since the happy conclusion of his adventure in Labyrinthia with Mr. Wright, the Professor had kept his word and kept in contact with all people he had gotten to know during those days. Not only he had met again and in several occasion with the American attorney, but also visited in more than one occasion the city that had been theater of their infamous exploits. Each and every one of those visits always had attached to it lots of fun memories and encounters, and while he cherished all of them the one during which he had met with Miles Edgeworth had a special relevance to him. 

It had all started at the Miss Bezella Pageant, with them getting a honorable mention by the jury of the contest for their puzzle-solving abilities, and from that occasion the Professor had developed a solid friendship with the prosecutor. In all his years meeting many interesting people from all over the world, he would have somewhat expected to eventually meet someone that could that easily match him in three very fields he had always found to be his own forte: being a gentleman, solving puzzles and enjoying tea.

He got to knew that they shared the first two interests on the same day they had known each other, for the latter he had to wait for their next meeting. When he learned that, among other things, Mr. Edgeworth also shared with him a passion for tea, Layton had felt not only pleasantly surprised but also somewhat excited, so much that for a second he feared he was going to let his gentlemanly manners slip for a moment. In a way the the two men could have considered each other some sort of rivals if only the word didn't also carry a feeling of hostility in it, something that definitely wasn't present between them, and if each of them didn't already have somebody else to fulfill that role in a way or another.

And ever since the day of that interesting discovery, whenever the prosecutor happened to be in Europe for study or work and had a free day or two to enjoy a trip to London, the two had began holding a small contest between them centered around tea and good manners. They didn't even remember exactly how it started, but by now it had become almost a tradition and neither of them would have missed the occasion.

Usually it was just the two of them, sitting in the Professor's private office, and a bunch of teacups and thermos bottles filled with different kinds of teas. Yes, it such an undignified way to enjoy that beverage, they both agreed, but given the difficulty to set up gas or even electric cookers in a small room they had to make do with it. On a particular occasion they could also count on the presence and help of their friends, as one day after finding out about the two men's contest, out of concern and curiosity, Luke, Emmy, Phoenix and Maya had asked them what was it about and, if possible, to assist at one of their confrontation.

And so there they were once again, in Layton's studio, sitting in front each other at the the small round in the middle of the room, the Professor on his chair and the prosecutor, being a guest, could enjoy the comfort of the small couch. As if the presence of guests had given the event some air of solemnity, the two men were in complete silence, solemnly staring at each other. The four friends of the two gentlemen too were present, ready to assist and help the challenge having received precise and detailed instructions on how to act and what to do.

It all started when Luke started by putting in front of the two men two empty cups and saucers, a sugar bowl, two teaspoons and napkins. He then stepped back to leave place to Maya, who poured them the first cup.

"Sugar, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Thanks for your offer, but I like my black tea bitter." the prosecutor replied.

"I understand. I must say you are missing, however." Hershel replied, putting two spoonfuls of sugar in his cup then lightly stirring it. When he was done he put the spoon on the saucer and took a hold of the cup's handle and lifted it to his mouth.

"Your spoon hasn't clicked against the cup even once, remarkable." Edgeworth commented. "You have improved since last time."

"It was simply a slip of the hand because the spoon was new, as I have pointed out already." Layton replied before approaching his lips to the cup and taking his first sip. "You, on the other hand, seem to still have issues with the correct placement of your fingers on the handle."

"It's just because these cups are too small for my hands, I assure you." the prosecutor replied. "But as you can clearly see, I'm not breaking the most important rule."

"Yes, your pinkie isn't extended. That's a basic notion, I would have been deeply disappointed if you had forgotten something like this."

Despite the teases they had been throwing at each other, neither of them did betray any other emotion in their voices or on their faces aside from their usual calmness. And yet, despite their composed appereances, the tension in the room could have been cut with a knife.

"So Mr. Edgeworth, what are your thoughts?"

"A standard black tea, no more no less. I hope this is only going to go better from now on." Miles said as he put his empty cup on back on the saucer.

"It surely will, don't worry my dear friend." Layton said. "After all we have guests today, and I'm sure they would find it boring to just look at two people sipping mediocre teas for a while, so I thought we could have, as people say, stepped up our little contest a bit."

"It's alright, do as you usually do and don't worry about us." Phoenix replied. "We're just curious to see what this is all about..."

Ignoring his friend's words, Edgeworth looked at the Professor and smirked. "Whenever you're ready, Mr. Layton."

The Professor touched the brim of his hat and smiled to the prosecutor, then turned serious again. "Emmy." he calmly called out the girl, who quickly took the cups and saucers away and swapped them with two clean tea bowls without handles. Edgeworth glanced at them for a moment, then the girl poured some clearer liquid in them.

"I understand now Professor." Miles said with a smile. "You really are an endless source of surprises."

"What can I say, I just like to surprise." he calmly replied. Then he took a deep breath and, with a fluid gesture, pointed his finger towards the other man. "I declare it time for a cup of sencha!" he proclaimed. "It will be a nice break before we move on to stronger tastes."

"When you put it like that, you make me worry this might be something bland. I hope I'm wrong." the prosecutor replied while tentatively touching his cup. After feeling it thankfully wasn't too hot he took a hold of it with both hands, brought it to his mouth and tried it out.

"So, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"I'd never thought I'd say ever these exact words, but I'm happy to be wrong."

"I was sure you would have said that." Layton said. "I'm more of a black teas person myself, but I can appreciate lighter and different kinds of tea."

"And you did indeed choose a really good one, I must admit." Miles said taking another sip.

"Really glad you enjoyed it." the Professor said as he put his empty cup on the table.

"I did. And to thank you for this I have brought something I was planning on using later." Edgeworth explained after finishing his tea and putting the bowl on the table. When he was done Maya arrived and took the used cups away, changing them with two saucers and two small tulip-shaped glasses. Layton didn't even need to wait for Maya to put some cubes of beet sugar on the table to realize what was going to happen, but didn't say a word not to ruin the surprise.

"I hope it's not too abrupt a change for you Mr. Layton, but I think a good glass of Turkish tea right now would be really nice. Are you up for the challenge?" Miles stood up and said pointing his finger towards the Professor while Phoenix poured the tea in the glasses from a thermos.

"Piping hot Turkish tea, I might add."

"As it should be."

"You really have taken the challenge seriously Mr. Edgeworth, haven't you?"

"I hope you hadn't underestimated it in the first place."

"I did not. And I promise I'll make you say that you were wrong a second time before this challenge is over." Hershel said popping a sugar cube in his mouth. A few moments after he tentatively put his fingers around the brim of the glass and found it hot, as it had to be expected.

"I see some hesitation in you for the first time since we started our little contest, Professor."

"Then feast your eyes on it my friend, since I can assure you there won't be a second time." Layton said as he took some more time before effectively lifting the glass and, after checking out the intense redness of its content and thinking about a nice puzzle involving vampires that he would have definitely tried to submit to his friend when their contest was over, bringing next to his mouth. The intense sweetness of the sugar that had been lingering in his mouth was then initially washed away by the hot tea. Then, just a few moments later, the two tastes somehow started to balance each other out, leaving a surprisingly nice aftertaste in his mouth.

"If it wasn't so heavily opposed to my usual behavior, I'd take my hat off for you because of this Mr. Edgeworth."

Miles was so sincerely surprised by that he hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm sincerely flattered, then."

The two men took their time to finish their tea and, when the empty glasses were on the table again, with a gesture Hershel signaled something to Luke.

"I have to admit, that was almost perfect. Holding the glasses from the brim, however, felt quite uncomfortable, so I think that our next serving will use something more comfortable to hold." he explained as his young assistant put on the table two empty glasses cased in some elaborately decorated metallic holders with handles.

Edgeworth chuckled. "I have the feeling it's time for some Russian tea, am I wrong?"

"Well, since we've just finished some really nice hot and strong tea, I think we could keep on like that for the moment. And Russian Caravan is best enjoyed in glasses that have their traditional podstakannik."

"An excellent pronunciation too, Professor."

Eventually unable to hold back any longer, while Edgeworth and Layton were too concentrated in their discussion Maya looked at Phoenix and called him in a low voice: "Guys, these two are really serious about this! I'm scared, I wanna go away."

"D-Don't be Maya. It's nothing really dramatic, just two men enjoying some tea together..." Phoenix tried to say.

"Two grown up men over-complicating the simple act of having a tea by acting like children, you mean! I don't think they're even noticing us talking about them right now!"

"You're right, but look how much fun they're having." Phoenix replied. "I can't remember the last time I've seen Edgeworth being so enthusiast about something..."

"Enthusiast? But if he has that same usual poker face of his."

"I hoped that with time you would have learn to understand him and how he acts. Look more carefully at him." Phoenix said pointing his finger towards the prosecutor.

The girl looked at Edgeworth and, after checking his face carefully and not noticing anything too different besides his usual deadpan expression, her attention was caught by his eyes, and how really strange from usual they were: Miles' sight was shiny, enthusiastic, almost passionate as he checked out the glass in front of him just before trying out its content.

"You're right Nick... and that's what scares me."

"It's just tea, Maya!"

"That's precisely my point!"

"I know what you mean, Miss." Luke interrupted her, still holding the thermos bottle whose content he had just poured to the two. "But I have to side with Mr. Wright. It feels strange and a more than a bit silly to me too, but after seeing the Professor being so passionate about doing something that isn't archaeology or a puzzle for once, even I can't bring myself to say something or stop them."

"Really?" Maya asked, giving another look at the two.

"It's true. And I know saying this doesn't make it sound any less weird, but that's how they are, it seems." Emmy joined the kid in asking the other young woman. "So please, at least for this time, don't say anything and stay here until they're done."

"Alright..." Maya accepted. She then took another glance at the two men and saw the Professor, standing up and, once again pointing his finger towards a calm and impassive Miles, solemnly ask: "So Mr. Edgeworth, will you accept my Russian Caravan challenge?"

"Gladly." the prosecutor replied gripping the glass holder by the handle and lifting it while throwing a defiant glance to the Professor.

After some silence and seeing the prosecutor sip some tea from his glass, a smirk appeared on Maya's face. She turned towards Phoenix and the Professor's assistants and, crossing her arms on her chest and leaning against the wall to enjoy the show better, said: "In fact, you know what? I think I'll stay for another while. It looks like this might get fun, after all."


End file.
